The Installation of Cantor Stillman

The Installation of Cantor Alicia Stillman

During Qabbalat Shabbat on October 23, after four months of being entranced by her voice, we officially welcomed Cantor Alicia Stillman to Temple Israel! With special guests Rabbi Larry Hoffman, PhD (pictured above), Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Cantor Rollin Simmons, Cantor Josh Breitzer, Noah Aronson, Elana Arian, as well as members of the Temple Israel community, the TI Band, and her Cantorial classmates, this moving evening was filled with joy and excitement for the future, when we can sing in person, together.

We have this wonderful installation, virtually perfect in every way, because our hearts want to share happiness and want to leap with joy. Debbie Friedman taught: Some days there won’t be a song in your heart, sing anyway. If you know the words, sing. And if you don’t know the words, sing louder! " We want to walk through doorways and transitions and feel blessed with surety and abundance and love. Together.

I am so happy to be here. I am so happy to leap with you and sing with you. The Zohar says: “There are mansions in heaven which can be opened only through song” - we WILL sing together and make music in meaningful ways, and we will open the gates of heaven with our voices.

So, I’m going to get out of the doorway - because I’m here, I’m finally here. In a joyfully blessed haze of transition, I am stepping into your story. And at last we sing our stories. We sing because we store our deepest hopes and dreams in song; music and memory together, our sacred stories and our magical songs.

Tonight we make it official. I become part of Temple Israel’s song, I am humbled and grateful for being entrusted with this precious gift you give me tonight. I make music with the memory of giants on these holy steps: Henry Gideon, Herbert Fromme, Cantor Murray Simon, Cantor Roy Einhorn. To whom I am deeply grateful for your generosity and friendship. You shaped and tended and sang and led Temple Israel’s musical legacy. Thank you all for trusting me." — Cantor Alicia Stillman, Installation, October 23, 2020